This paper presents a new method for the CMOS compatible fabrication of microchannels integrated into a silicon substrate. In a single-step DRIE process (Deep Reactive Ion Etching) a network of microchannels with High Aspect Ratio (HAR) up to 10, can be etched in a silicon substrate through a mesh mask. In the same single etching step, multidimensional microchannels with various dimensions (width, length, and depth) can be obtained by tuning the process and design parameters. These fully embedded structures enable further wafer processing and integration of electronic components like sensors and actuators in wafers with microchannels.

Microfluidics has been identified as a revolutionizing technology for chemistry and biology, enabling cost-effective semi-automated experiments without extensive laboratory infrastructure. However, the complexity and number of simultaneous experiments is limited with current fabrication approaches. We present a novel CMOS compatible process to fabricate embedded microchannels that can greatly enhance the functionality and scalability of microfluidic experimentation. The feasibility of the fabrication process is demonstrated with a device to probe mechanical properties of cells before and after presenting them a stimulus.